Radiant Sacrifice
by MechaUltimaZero
Summary: When Magnamon learns of a potential threat to his liege lord and the Celestial Kingdom, he leaves suddenly and without warning in a bid to save both the people he once swore to protect, and the woman he always loved but never could have. For Lord Pata.
1. The Dance

Forbidden to Love: a Knight's Sacrifice

(Working title, subject to change)

The Dance

**Dedicated to Lord Pata, who basically shamed me into writing some Patamon/Gatomon and T.K./Kari fics for him. Well, I suppose that he didn't really **_**shame**_** me into it, technically, but I'll think of a better verb for it in the next chapter.**

**Overview: For the last few years, much of the Digital World has prospered under the reign of the Holy Kingdom, ruled by Seraphimon and Ophanimon (i.e. Patamon and Gatomon). The Kingdom is protected by the ten Royal Knights, but one of them, Magnamon (whom we all know as Veemon) has never stopped loving Ophanimon, and, sick of himself for being obsessed over someone he knows he'll never be able to be with, leaves suddenly and without warning. After learning about the Dark Kaisers, however, Magnamon risks life and honor in a desperate bid to defend both the woman he loves and the people he once swore to protect.**

**Also, Etemon will show up at one point or another.**

**Rating: M for occasional angst, and eventually ultra-violence.**

**Pairings: Patamon/Gatomon (but in the form of Seraphimon/Ophanimon), and numerous other pairings are mentioned or implied. One-sided Magnamon/Ophanimon (read: Veemon/Gatomon) but MAYBE eventual Magnamon/insert some other girl here. And just because I've set things up for Rosemon does NOT mean that she's guaranteed a spot in Magnamon's heart. I'll mostly leave Magnamon's significant other to you, the readers, but under the following conditions:**

**1) For the purposes of this story, Ophanimon is not valid. In almost any other Digimon fic I've written, that doesn't apply.**

**2) I want at least one semi-good reason why that female is a viable pairing option. Also, Zephyrmon/Kazemon and Sakuyamon are off limits, because I've paired them with Susanoomon and Gallantmon, respectively.**

**3) Normally I wouldn't say this, but PLEASE, don't suggest any OCs, because I really don't want to have to research them for ways to make their back-story fit in this universe, and there's just too much risk for getting them out of character (which is routine in my fics anyway, but I try to restrict that to canon main characters).**

**4) And please, PLEASE take the lady's size into account… This is NOT Pokémon. I don't care if you can breed them or not, there will NOT be any instances of Skitty/Wailord action in THIS author's stories! Or, for another possible size comparison that's actually relevant to Digimon (even if it **_**is**_** completely crack): I don't care if you give me ten thousand excellent reasons, I will NOT pair up Machinedramon with Ranamon! Suppose, for a moment, that he was biological rather than mechanical. Just looking at the plain and simple physics of the situation, there's no way he could possibly fit, if you know what I mean! While it is equally crack (or maybe even more so, since at least Ranamon is also evil), Machinedramon/Garudamon is much more likely (hey, Biyomon is clearly a girl, and I don't think Digivolution = gender change), given that they are of a much more similar size.**

**If you bear in mind all of this, and don't let it spoil your experience with the chapter itself, then you are more than welcome to suggest any pairing for Magnamon that you wish, and from any season of the anime (Adventure/02, Tamers, or Frontier, that is).**

**If there are any questions, feel free to ask me in a review, and I'll do what I can to clarify, either in a reply or in a subsequent chapter.**

**Having completely finished my ranting for now, I'm going to shut up at last and let you read the fic.**

_**(Magnamon POV)**_

Today begins a festival in the Celestial Kingdom, to celebrate the coming marriage of Lord Seraphimon and Lady Ophanimon. The streets are packed with cheering Digimon, overjoyed by the love that our King and Queen share.

I should be happy for them as well, but I can't make myself do it. I know that my liege lord and lady love each other beyond the power of words to describe. It's a match of Hope and Light, a pairing that seems to have been arranged by ENIAC. So why can't I just enjoy the party like everyone else?

It's because I love her just as much as they love each other. Imagine it: me, a Royal Knight, among the most powerful beings in the Celestial Kingdom, and I'm virtually crippled because I love someone I know I'll never be able to have.

Thinking aloud, I absentmindedly mutter, "Am I pathetic, or what?"

"Pathetic? I think not, my valiant comrade!"

Ah, that would be Gallantmon, one of my best friends among the Royal Knights. He joined about a year after I did… we're both outcasts, in a sense: even though he's a Royal Knight, he's also a Virus Digimon, which the majority of people won't ignore, and I (not that I'm ever going to tell anyone else) suffer from forbidden love. It suddenly occurs to me that this is a bit similar to a blasted soap opera. Gallantmon comes up and asks, "Now why do you believe yourself pathetic? You are quite possibly the third strongest of the Knights, so surely you don't mean to say that you're weak."

He means that the only two Knights whom I've always lost to in practice are Alphamon and Susanoomon, while I've managed to defeat everyone else except Omnimon: I've always tied against him. Damned Omega InForce… I've beaten my cousin, UlforceVeedramon two or three times, but only through Miracles.

I don't turn to look him in the eye – I continue to face the dancing crowd as I reply, "Because I could probably have any woman I asked, and there's no one I wish to ask that I could."

Gallantmon, perceptive despite his reputation of naïveté, asks, "You say you can't ask whom you want, so who do you want to ask that you can't?"

I know I can trust him: after all, I love Ophanimon, and I'm forbidden to act on that, and Gallantmon harbors feelings for Sakuyamon, whom he has a chance with, but he's seriously afraid of rejection. We each know this, and though Gallantmon understands and can (to an extent) sympathize with my problem, he also understands that whenever two Knights are speaking, people tend to eavesdrop.

So, knowing that word is certain to get around but trying to at least save a little face, I mention the first fairly attractive woman I can lay eyes on.

"Rosemon. She is the one I would ask."

Gallantmon, who (as I've already mentioned) knows I love Ophanimon, raises an eyebrow under his helmet. Rosemon isn't whom he would've expected me to use for cover, but then he sees my intent: most would think I'd pick someone the opposite of whom I really love, but Rosemon is actually quite similar in personality to Lady Ophanimon. Perhaps I'm too paranoid about people I can't trust finding out my secret? No, when it comes to things like this, you can never be too suspicious.

I also mention Rosemon because, if any of the rumors are true (and when you're ordered to deal with as much gossip as the Royal Knights are, you **know** that some of it is), then I have about a sixty percent chance of her dancing with me if I asked. And with her response not based entirely on my position or my reputation.

Gallantmon, who spends a lot more time in public than I do (I am not, however, reclusive by nature) laughs good naturedly, and offers, "Well, since even Lord Alphamon seems to be enjoying himself, I propose that we'd just as well try our own luck. After all, people are more at ease when _all_ of the Knights are dancing. So let's make a deal: if you will ask Rosemon to dance, then I shall attempt to woo Sakuyamon. And if either of us should fail, we are none the worse for having made the attempt. Well, my comrade, shall we charge headlong into the battlefields of love?"

Laughing at Gallantmon's enthusiasm and odd manner of speech, I let his aura infect me a little and reply, "Verily, my friend!"

Hell, I'm not completely certain what verily even _means_.

So, having made a Knight's Oath to each other, I walk further into the hall and do the one thing that can give me the Courage to ask a woman I barely even know to dance. I find the snack table, grab a slice of pizza (after all, what kind of party would it be without pizza?), and down it in three bites. Then, wiping my hands of any grease (we are, of course, expected to show exemplary hygiene), I make a quick visual sweep of the area, looking for Rosemon. Having found her, I begin moving in her direction, and absentmindedly realize that I've never had much skill when it came to dancing. Ah well, at least I had Biyomon (now Garudamon) give me some lessons a few years ago.

Rosemon is, thankfully, pretty much alone in the crowd, as I often am. Her close friend and brother-in-law, Zudomon, is nearby, dancing with his beloved Garudamon. **(Yeah, implied Biyomon/Gomamon happenin' here… which also translates to Joe/Sora. Go figure, eh?)**

I make a slight bow towards Rosemon as she sips her wine and I ask, "Tell me, Lady Rosemon, would you care to dance?" (Knights are supposed to always refer to people of noble standing as Lord or Lady, even if they're the same equivalent rank as oneself. Rosemon is a representative of the Misty Trees province.)

Rosemon giggled a little bit, setting her wine on the table, as she says, "What made you ask me now, Lord Magnamon? Not that I'm complaining, of course! And please, just call me Rose, or Rosemon if you insist on formalities."

When a member of nobility tells you to drop the title, it means they like you. When a woman of noble standing tells you to drop the title _and_ the formal –mon suffix, it means they either like you as though you're a sibling, or they're smitten with you. What in the name of Ebonwumon have I gotten myself into now?

I simply say, "Well, I figured that since everyone else seemed to be enjoying themselves, now was as good of a time as any. And besides, Gallantmon told me he'd finally ask Sakuyamon to dance if I could show him how it's done."

In a somewhat joking tone, she replies, "Ah, that explains it then. You wanted to help your friend, and chose me as your lovely assistant."

In the back of my mind, I begin to realize that, in time, I could probably learn to love Rosemon if I can keep up the charade long enough. I lie to everyone else, so why not also to myself?

Returning the 'joke', I nod and say, "Well, I couldn't have just asked any woman to help; after all, we must play our roles, and the master's assistant is always the most stunning girl in the room."

She falls silent, blushing, as she takes my hand to dance.

I notice, in the corner of my eye, Gallantmon watching us carefully, and – is he studying _notes_?! After a few moments, then, he appears to have memorized the basics of what I just did, then, he walks toward VictoryGreymon, clearly intent on asking for some Courage. I laugh, saying, "Gallantmon's going to ask for Courage from VictoryGreymon. Who does he think the guy is, the Wizard of Oz?"

Rosemon giggles once again, as we waltz. She says, "I can't see VictoryGreymon as the all-knowing, all-powerful Oz, but maybe Gallantmon's the cowardly lion?"

As I twirl her around, I laugh out loud at that: the mere idea of Gallantmon walking up to the Wizard of Oz and saying, "Can I have some c-c-c-_Courage_?" just cracks me up, I can't help it.

But then, I lean over a bit and whisper in Rosemon's ear, "Just don't say that to his face, Rose. While there's a good chance he'll appreciate the joke and laugh himself to death, there's an equally good chance that he'll take it literally and as an insult, before he challenges you to a duel for his pride."

Rosemon giggles again, blushing because I called her Rose (just like she asked me to), and because I'm implying I actually care for her. And in a way, I suppose I do. But not as a lover, not yet. I'd be a hypocrite to say that I didn't believe in love at first sight, but I just don't really feel anything special for Rosemon, at least not right now. In later years, perhaps, but at the moment, I suppose that I only care for her in the way that a shield cares for its wielder, or if I really wanted to use metaphysical similes, like a guardian angel might care for its charge. Little or no personal attachment, simply protecting them because we're meant to, because it's the purpose behind the existence. (As you are, by now, no doubt aware, my mind often wanders when not given a certain focus… usually involving battle or Ophanimon. Yes, I can admit that with a straight face.)

Back when we were Rookies, Palmon and I were friends. Matter of fact, I was friends with Agumon and Wormmon, who are now the Royal Knights WarGreymon and Imperialdramon. I was a friend and rival of Patamon, whom I must now bend my knee to as King Seraphimon.

And when I first met my Queen Ophanimon (Hrm. I probably shouldn't say "my Queen" like that, but oh well…) as her Champion form, Gatomon, I loved her even then. I sometimes wonder whether I'd have had a better chance with her if I'd been more serious back then. Hindsight is 20/20, and foresight's blind, or so they say.

Ah well. Nothing I can do about it now, so I'd just as well try to enjoy the dance.

_**(Gallantmon POV)**_

OK, I think I've got it down, having observed the master at work, Magnamon. And even though I know that Magnamon and Rosemon were laughing at me about it, I still feel much more confident after talking with VictoryGreymon (WarGreymon was occupied dancing at the time, and I don't think that _anyone_ can stop him when he's angry). Walk up slowly, compliment (be both subtle and obvious at the same time), and then –

"Haven't seen _you_ in a while, Gallantmon."

I visibly jump in my armor; so much for the plan!

I turn around, and say, "Oh, Sakuyamon! You… never really get tired of sneaking up on me, do you?"

She laughs as she says, "No, but at least I've gotten nicer over the years, hm? I still remember when we were Rookies, and I was so cruel to you back then. I'm still sorry for some of the things I did."

How could I ever forget – back when she was Renamon (and I was Guilmon), her idea of a joke was to hit me in the funny bone! But this is my chance to get some points! Not that it's a game or anything, but you know what I mean, right?

"Well to be honest, my Lady Sakuyamon… I can't remember anything like that, so you're forgiven!"

Sakuyamon lets a tear fall from her eyes – was it something I said? Then, shocking me again, she suddenly hugs me, and she says, "You're lying, but you're trying to make me feel better. Thanks, Gallantmon."

Am I really that bad of a liar? It doesn't matter. Sakuyamon's crying, and I can't let it continue. I embrace her, holding her close as I inquire, "Sakuyamon, my love, would you like to dance?"

A slow song begins playing in the background as she nods in reply. The world starts to disappear: soon, there is nothing but the music, Sakuyamon, and I.

As we dance, I lead. Sakuyamon rests her head on my shoulder as she mutters, "Gallantmon, I was beginning to worry that you'd never ask me. I've never been so glad to be proven wrong."

My heart flutters as I realize that she loves me in return, and I feel confidence in my purpose once again. In the back of my mind, I wonder how Magnamon's doing, but in the end, I decide that it can wait for later.

_**(Seraphimon POV)**_

Ophanimon and I have already had the first dance, as is custom. I look at my beloved angel, and I find my soul filled with glorious light, as always.

She glances to the side, having caught me staring. My mask thankfully hides the resulting blush. I then follow her gaze, and I see what she sees: Magnamon, dancing with Rosemon. I still have trouble thinking of him as a Royal Knight, I remember Veemon so well. At the same time, though, I often can barely believe that I've become Seraphimon, ruler of the Celestial Kingdom.

Ophanimon's voice, soft as velvet, breaks through my thoughts. "I'm glad to see that he's dancing, enjoying himself. He was in terrible pain for so long; I worried that he might never heal. And yet it looks as though he will come through after all."

I nod, resting my chin in my hand – a habit I picked up as MagnaAngemon while deep in thought. Even though Magnamon appears to be doing well, I know just as well as he does that he still suffers the pain of unrequited love, just as the Digital Hazard did before tonight. Since Gallantmon and Sakuyamon have revealed their feelings for each other, I pray that he (Magnamon, that is) can learn to love someone he has a fair chance with (like Rosemon, for instance). As a matter of fact, I think that Rosemon would be particularly good for him, since her nature as Sincerity incarnate would go well with his rather blunt personality.

As long as Hope and Light are present, I feel that everything will be fine. Nearly all of my friends (all of whom except Ankylomon are either Ultimate or Mega now, but I still tend to think of as Rookies out of habit) have found a soul mate. Zudomon and Garudamon, Ophanimon and I, WarGreymon and Silphymon **(1)**, and one day, I hope, Magnamon and Rosemon.

I laugh to myself as I realize what I've just thought. After all, I am the Angel of Hope; between myself and my Angel of Light, we can cause virtually anything to work out for the best. After all, if Reliability, Love, Hope, Light, and Courage can find happiness, it's only fair that Sincerity and Miracles should be able to do the same.

I see that Magnamon's dance with Rosemon has come to an end, and he's taking strides out of the hall. I frown behind my mask, wondering what could be the matter, but I feel as though something terrible will happen soon…

I would like nothing more than to ask what's wrong, but even I must bow to the wishes of the crowd at certain times, and this is one of those times. I note that Alphamon is, as always, the only Knight who isn't dancing, although he does appear to be in a much less somber mood than usual. He feels my glance, reads my intent, and departs. Of course people will note his absence. However, if I, Ophanimon, or any of the other Knights were to have gone after Magnamon, people would start worrying. Alphamon always arrives a moment or two late, and departs at least half an hour early. Unlike most of the other Knights, he truly is a bit of a recluse.

**Notes: **

**1: Silphymon would normally be a hermaphrodite (both male and female because of Aquilamon and Gatomon), but for the purposes of this story, Silphymon is a female with a masculine-sounding voice, and is Hawkmon's (also a female with VERY masculine-sounding voice) natural Ultimate level. In the same vein, Armadillomon's natural Ultimate level would be Shakkomon.**

**Royal Knights:**

**Alphamon, the Master Knight (Leader)**

**WarGreymon and VictoryGreymon, the Knights of Courage (Brothers)**

**UlforceVeedramon, the Ultimate Force/the Swift Knight**

**Gallantmon, the Crimson Knight/Digital Hazard **

**Omnimon, the Blade of Infinity (because his original Japanese name is Omegamon)**

**Imperialdramon Fighter Mode, the Dragon Warrior Knight **

**Susanoomon, the God Knight**

**Beelzemon Blast Mode, the Knight of Darkness**

**Magnamon, the Radiance of Miracles (also, he and UlforceVeedramon are cousins)**


	2. Breakdown

Radiant Sacrifice

Breakdown

**Dedicated to Lord Pata, who basically shamed me into writing some Patamon/Gatomon and T.K./Kari fics for him. Well, I suppose that he didn't really **_**shame**_** me into it, technically, but I'll think of a better verb for it in the next chapter.**

**Overview: For the last few years, much of the Digital World has prospered under the reign of the Holy Kingdom, ruled by Seraphimon and Ophanimon (i.e. Patamon and Gatomon). The Kingdom is protected by the ten Royal Knights, but one of them, Magnamon (whom we all know as Veemon) has never stopped loving Ophanimon, and, sick of himself for being obsessed over someone he knows he'll never be able to be with, leaves suddenly and without warning. After learning about the Dark Kaisers, however, Magnamon risks life and honor in a desperate bid to defend both the woman he loves and the people he once swore to protect.**

**If there are any questions, feel free to ask me in a review, and I'll do what I can to clarify, either in a reply or in a subsequent chapter.**

**Having completely finished my ranting for now, I'm going to shut up at last and let you read the fic.**

_**(Alphamon POV)**_

I feel my King's disturbed eyes on me, and glancing over the entire hall for the source of his concern, note Magnamon – _Magnamon_, of all people – leaving early. When I do it, that's one thing. I've a reputation for being the most anti-social of the Knights, and while some of the others are a bit reclusive, Magnamon is not one of them. If the Radiance of Miracles is taking an early leave, then there _must_ be a problem.

And when there's a problem, I investigate. If there's an error, I correct it. If something's gone, I find it. If there's a threat, I destroy it. The list of examples can go on forever. And contrary to popular belief, it's really that simple. It's my job. It doesn't mean that things can't get complicated, though.

I follow Magnamon at a slight distance, far enough away that he can't detect me, but close enough that if he runs (on the off chance that he's alert to my presence), I won't lose the trail. He's fast and brutally cunning, I'll give him that, but _I'm_ one of the only two Knights who can manipulate **time** (completely ignoring the fact that I have no idea how I actually do it), the other being my closest friend, Omnimon.

Once he's out of Primary, though, we can speak in privacy. And as soon as he's a few miles out, I appear right in front of him and ask, "So what's the problem?"

Magnamon's badly startled, a sign that he was deep in thought. He gets into stance for battle as he asks, "Problem? What problem? Who says there has to be a problem? Can't a mon just go home early for once?"

So then, he's already going on the defensive. Getting information out of him's going to be tricky, but it's nothing I can't handle.

I move around behind him, aiming a relatively weak punch at the back of his head, but Magnamon's no fool. He twists around, catching my fist in his left hand, before viciously side-kicking me in the ribs. Even through the armor, I feel one of them crack – he's undergone some hardcore training lately, that's clear.

I mentally applaud him for that, the fact that he's constantly staying in shape and becoming stronger. But, though Dragon of Miracles he is, he's still no match for the likes of me.

He follows up with a quick series of jabs designed to get some distance, and then he nearly gets me with a violent drop kick. I backpedal quickly, just evading the powerful strike, before I engage the Alpha InForce, and I let loose a flurry of attacks so fast and powerful, that it's impossible to be one-hundred percent certain of what I've just done. I just blinked, and Magnamon was forty feet away, in the center of a huge imprint upon the rock face, which then falls to pieces all around him.

After a few seconds, he grunts a little, and bursts through the rubble, armor beginning to shine. Based on the look in his eyes, he's not likely to calm down any time soon. I nonchalantly tell him, "I can do this all night if I need to, but sooner or later, you're going to tell me what's going on."

_**(Magnamon POV)**_

Anger. Alarm. Paranoia. Fear. I'm virtually drowning in these and half a dozen other emotions that tend to trigger psychological defense mechanisms. Damnit man, you KNOW how I react when people sneak up on me!

"Sneaking up on me like you did and then demanding information before putting me through a rock face isn't exactly the best way to earn my cooperation, you know…"

I can't see his face beneath that helmet, but it makes no difference. There's no expression at all either way as he says, "Then tell me what's got you so preoccupied that it took you so long to notice me."

He speaks calmly, without shouting. He doesn't need to. His very presence does that for him. I can recognize an order when I hear it. And I very intentionally ignore it.

"No."

Alphamon practically reels in shock. He's so surprised that he actually takes a step back, before regaining himself. "No? Hm. You've never disobeyed one of my orders before."

Alphamon knows me quite well, but my understanding of him is just as thorough, and I have my counter ready the instant he speaks.

"No, I haven't. And you haven't ever given me an order I disagreed with before."

I can't see it, but I know his eyes are narrowing behind that chrome visor. "Are you saying that you defy your superior officer the instant they say something not to your liking?"

I shake my head, trying to beat around the bush while still making my point. "No, I'm not so childish. I'm saying that, in certain circumstances, your judgment on whether or not something merits investigation is… poor."

He's becoming wary now, and I must be extremely cautious.

"So you're questioning my judgment, then. You say that there's no reason for me to be here. And yet, there is. You seemed to be enjoying yourself back at the dance, and without warning, you depart. That's rather out of character for you, isn't it?"

Not having any brighter ideas, I merely state the obvious. "There's a first time for everything. And tonight looks like it's going to be full of firsts. I know of at least three."

Somewhat confused, Alphamon responds, "First time leaving a party early, first time you've disobeyed a direct order… What's the third?"

Beelzemon's fondness for games of chance must've rubbed off on me, because I'm about to take what might be the biggest gamble of my life.

I get ready to fight again, closing my eyes as I prepare to answer his question quite bluntly.

"If you continue trying to pry into my personal affairs, then…"

I open them once more, now fully focused on Alphamon, as I finish, "Tonight will be the first time that I've been able to defeat you."

Now he's even more shocked than when I told him no, coughing in surprise. I can tell that, behind that shining helmet of his, he's practically slack-jawed. It takes him a moment to recover, before he starts talking again, accepting my challenge as he enters his own fighting stance.

"Such confidence after letting me sneak up on you so easily? If it's affecting your performance – which appears to be the case – then it is most certainly my business. But I'm interested. If you actually _can_ beat me, or even come significantly close, then I'll drop the matter. But you must have an incredibly daring plan, or else you're completely unhinged."

Not entirely forgetting my sense of humor, I counter, "I'd like to think it's a little of both, sir.

This time, I know what to expect. He knows I'm not going to tell him what he wants to know as long as I have any hope at all of victory. He's only going to hold back enough to keep from killing me. But for all his power and skill, Alphamon is the least connected to his emotions of all the Royal Knights. And because of that, there's one fact that he doesn't understand as well as the others do – one fact that I understand better than anything else, and is in my favor.

There is nothing more desperate, more ferocious, than a cornered animal. And I am, at this moment, nothing if not a cornered animal.

He can't kill me. He can't afford to, and what's more, he doesn't want to. That means that he'll be forced to hold back his full power. Part of why I can win is _because_ he's so much stronger than I am at full strength.

I can hit him with everything I've got and I know that he's going to live. He has to hold back. I don't.

But that's not enough, I have to fight Alphamon on his own terms. And that means I can't just fight in the present. I have to be fighting in the future at the same time, looking ten steps ahead – reacting to and countering his attacks before he makes them.

For a full minute, we each might as well be statues for all the motion we make.

And then, we explode with energy, moving dozens of times faster than the average Rookie can see, at a level that even the majority of Ultimates can see only what happened a few seconds before.

Just before he gets ready to move, I charge at him as fast as I can, funneling all of my emotion, my entire being into my punch, which connects with his skull, briefly disorienting him. I can't allow him time to react, not even a second, because that's all he'd need. Immediately after my first attack connects, I kick him in the ribs again with my shin, in the _exact_ same place I cracked them earlier. From his grunt of pain, I can tell that at least a few of those ribs are now broken.

I can't afford to be nice. Just like any other opponent, I take brutal advantage of whatever weakness I can find. I hit him with everything that I am. My anger, my fear, my despair. My love for Lady Ophanimon. My envy of Lord Seraphimon. And more than anything else, I focus on how much I hate myself because of it. And for an instant, my subconscious superimposes my visage over his own, and I completely lose it.

I savagely continue attacking him, one strike leading into another, screaming in my internal anguish, taking out my damnation on my commanding officer.

Just as much as I ruthlessly assault his injury, I keep barraging his head, trying to keep him disoriented, trying to keep him focused on more than one thing at a time. He grips my arm, a moment of fortune for him. But by this point, my fiery emotions – my battle-madness – have brought me to my full power. My armor, now completely invulnerable, impregnable, shines a radiant gold, in stark contrast to the all-consuming black in my mind and heart.

He's stopped one punch. Lucky for him. Too bad his luck's run out. I kick him in the head, dropping his focus. And I brutally grab his arm and in with my hate-induced strength, snap it like a dry twig.

Alphamon, the most powerful of the Royal Knights, cries out in pain. And now, he's disoriented enough that I tackle him, bringing him to the ground. By this point, I'm all but consumed by my rage and my hate. I brutally beat my C.O., one punch after another.

I've worn him down so completely that he's completely at my mercy, and in this moment, I have none.

And as I prepare to hit him with an energy blast at point-blank range, I come to a shocking realization.

My opponent's life is in my hands, as fragile and meaningless as a tapestry made of wet paper. And I… I'm _ENJOYING_ this.

Disgusted with myself more than ever, I stop my hand at the last moment, and power down before standing up. Alphamon eventually turns on his side, coughing up blood through his helmet from internal injuries.

Making certain to remove any trace of emotion from my voice, I actually scold him a bit before he loses consciousness. "I warned you to back off. In the future, take a mon's advice more seriously."

As he passes out, my hate and my anger vanish, leaving me empty, exhaustion my only companion now.

I pick up my C.O., sling him over my shoulder, and begin the long walk back to Primary.

After a few steps, however, I half-sense someone, but pointedly ignore him until he shows himself.

And, exactly as I predicted he would, Beelzemon suddenly appears, leaning against a tree on the side of the road a few feet ahead of me, a half-hidden smirk on his face, emerald eyes closed. "Y'know what? I'm impressed, Magnamon. When I heard you say you were going to beat our boss, I didn't think you actually had it in you. Man, was I proven wrong!"

Sighing, I ask, "What are you doing here, Beelzemon? I'm not going to tell you anything I didn't tell Lord Alphamon, and if you're looking for a fight, I'm rather spent at the moment."

Beelzemon takes a few steps onto the road, following a couple of strides behind me. "That's not it all, buddy. You left early. Lord Seraphimon was concerned. Alphamon probably mistook that for something else and figured that he needed to hunt you down/interrogate you/whatever. And as for me, I'm just being nosy. Y'know, I would've lent a hand if it looked like he was about to win, but we all know how that turned out, don't we?"

I'm tired, and really don't want to deal with anybody right now. "If there's a point that you're getting around to, go ahead and make it, please."

Beelzemon complies too readily.

"I saw the entire thing, you know. From when he spooked you to when you were about ready to blast him. And I just gotta say, you'd have made a pretty damned good Demon Lord."

I am suddenly gripped with something I can't understand, and I feel as cold as the arctic wastelands to the distant north. My entire being is frozen straight to the marrow, and my blood is has become dry ice. My breathe catches, and I completely stop.

"What… what did you just say to me?" I ask, hoping, praying desperately that I heard him incorrectly, that between my stress and my exhaustion, my ears are playing tricks on me.

As usual, I am not so fortunate; he repeats himself verbatim, brutally concise.

"I said: You. Would. Have. Made. A. Pretty. Damned. Good. Demon. Lord."

Horrified at the answer I know is coming, I ask, "And on what basis do you make that claim?"

Sneering at me in my distress, Beelzemon replies, "Unlike Lord Alphamon, my judgment is sound. Well, more sound, at any rate. I used to **be** a Demon Lord until Gallantmon convinced me to switch sides. Each of us was considered the embodiment of a sin, and I was Gluttony. It's not just about being strong. There are certain personality traits that are required of a mon before they can claim to be a Demon Lord. Trust me, I know what separates the posers from the real deal. When you fought Alphamon just a bit ago, you weren't thinking about duty, or kindness, or anything positive along those lines if you were even thinking at all. Most of the other Knights are at their greatest when they focus on their duty or someone they love. But you, you're different. You're like me – like I always was, and like I probably always will be. When you unleash your maximum power, when you stop holding back, when you find that inner strength that allows you to destroy just about anything in your path, you're not powered by love. No, not love. Your fuel is rage, hate. You're fueled by Wrath. And I gotta tell ya, **your** fuel is _high octane_."

I turn away, hoping against hope like a child that he'll go away if I ignore him.

An exercise in futility.

"You just can't stand that, can you? I can see from here, it's tearing you to the pieces on the inside. You can't bear the thought of being similar to your sworn enemies at all, am I right? I am right. I don't need a response to know that I'm right, and you know it too, deep down. Alphamon made one dumb move, and now I know for fact something I always suspected. Deny it all you like Magnamon, but YOU'RE NO DIFFERENT FROM THE 'MONSTERS' YOU STAND AGAINST! SHIT, YOU'RE WORSE!"

I stop in my tracks, my terror confirmed. Against my better judgment, I turn to glance back at him over my shoulder. And like the boisterous bastard he is, he shouts something that stabs me as thoroughly as Gallantmon's lance.

"**YOU CAN'T HIDE WHAT YOU ARE IN THE DARK! NOT ANY MORE!"**

And then, just when I didn't think it could get any worse…

It got worse.

Partially because of the circumstances. Partially because the next part, he _whispered_.

"But don't worry, _pal_. Your secret is safe with me."

**Other than that, review. And yes, I did at least some of that on purpose. **


	3. Outbreak

Radiant Sacrifice

Outbreak

**Dedicated to Lord Pata, who basically shamed me into writing some Patamon/Gatomon and T.K./Kari fics for him. Well, I suppose that he didn't really **_**shame**_** me into it, technically, but I'll think of a better verb for it whenever.**

**Overview: Due to the story practically writing itself now, I'm not going to maintain this, as the story may change itself drastically without providing me or anyone else with any significant notice.**

**If there are any questions, feel free to ask me in a review, and I'll do what I can to clarify, either in a reply or in a subsequent chapter.**

**Having completely finished my ranting for now, I'm going to shut up at last and let you read the fic.**

* * *

_**(Ophanimon POV)**_

I calmly enter the Knights' Sanctum, the room in which they gather to discuss recent intelligence and plan out whatever is required **(1)**.

As I cross the threshold, I note that all of the Knights are seated, and that Alphamon has apparently recovered – to an extent, that is – from being savagely beaten a few nights ago.

Though I am not as close to the majority of the Knights as I am with WarGreymon, Omnimon, Imperialdramon, and most of all Magnamon, I consider all of them to be friends and allies whom I trust completely. And as VictoryGreymon is wont to say, "If you wanna mess with one of us, you gotta mess with _all_ of us."

However, I quickly realize that, for some reason, Magnamon is the _only_ Royal Knight not in attendance. While I don't share the painful love I know he feels for me, I do still consider him one of my closest friends, and I am dearly concerned about him. Due to the Miracle's absence, I am greeted by our newest recruit, Susanoomon. "Good morning, Lady Ophanimon. We were just about to learn who put Lord Alphamon in the sorry state he's in, whether he wants to tell us or not."

Alphamon, ever the stoic, grumbles, "That won't be necessary. It's no concern of any of yours."

Gallantmon, a close friend of Magnamon's, interrupts, "Nay, good sir! If anyone can smite you so thoroughly without taking as good as they gave, it could present a grave threat to our fair Kingdom's well-being!"

The remaining Knights murmured assent, and I spoke, "Lord Alphamon, please tell us who inflicted such injury upon you, so that we may react accordingly."

I can sense that Alphamon is growing irritated as he insists, "I assure you, it's no threat at all to the Kingdom's safety."

Omnimon, often said to be Alphamon's only equal, stepped up. "My friend, you may indeed be right. However, until we at least have a name, I believe that we have the right to judge for ourselves."

Just as Alphamon was about to reply, _Beelzemon_ of all people spoke up. "Lady and gents, I'm pretty sure I can safely say that there's no security threat. Whoever it is that beat the crap out of our 'noble' leader so thoroughly the other night clearly had the chance to finish him off, and didn't bother. If he were one of the Demon Lords I know, he'd be bragging by now. No, we're clearly dealing with a mon who doesn't want attention called to this, and who maybe, just _maybe_, didn't even mean to do it in the first place."

For a complete sociopath, I must admit that he makes a compelling point. Though hardly anyone trusts him, his rather… unique perspective has been useful on more than one occasion. "Sir Beelzemon, judging by the mischievous gleam in your eye, I can infer that you have a name in mind. Would like to share it with us?"

Grinning in a way that he knows _everyone_ finds quite annoying, he cheerfully replies, "Nope. Not me, your lawfulness. I am but a poor, humble sociopath who can't tell one thing from another."

Narrowing his eyes, Imperialdramon counters, "Everything you just said is a lie, Demon Lord, barring the word 'sociopath'."

Boisterously rising up from his seat, Beelzemon childishly retorts, "Nuh-uh! The word 'nope' was honest too!"

With that outburst, there is momentary chaos before Alphamon calls for silence. "I cannot tell you who attacked me, because I cannot remember in the first place. However, Beelzemon is likely correct in his deductions, given that no Digimon has come forward, either with demands, threats, or boasts of their power."

Though it irks me just a bit, I am forced to conclude that by this logic, there seems to be no severe risk to the Kingdom's safety, and thankfully so, because if I know Magnamon, he wouldn't be able to rest until the crisis were resolved, even at the expense of his health. Suddenly remembering that he isn't here, I prepare to end this meeting. "Very well then, I suppose we shall let this die down. And before I leave, does anyone happen to know where Magnamon is? His habit is to arrive earlier than most, and his absence worries me."

Again, it is Beelzemon who speaks. "Magnamon? Ah, yes, it's all coming back to me. You see, he and I were out drinking the other day – well, _I_ was drinking, he was being more of a putz than Alphamon the Great – and he mentions that he's leaving soon; I didn't pay attention where, somewhere out in the boonies. When I asked him why, he said that his uncle Ralph died recently, and he needed to go to the funeral."

Incredulous, it's the young VictoryGreymon who first recovers enough to ask, "His uncle _Ralph_?"

"Yeah, Ralphmon. Ralph for short. It sounded like they were very close at one time, and I'm sure that right at this moment, Magnamon's very hurt inside and taking out his regrets and frustrations on some poor helpless bastard of a tree."

* * *

_**(Magnamon POV)**_

"I warned you what would happen if I caught you egg-napping again, didn't I, Hemlock?"

The Woodmon I've cornered is shedding leaves in terror before me, whimpering for forgiveness.

"B-b-b-but have m-m-m-mercy, L-l-l-l-l-Lord Magnamon, I-I-I-I'm just a mon trying to get by, s-s-s-s-s-see?"

I hate myself so much, I'm almost thankful that I have the chance to hate someone else for a change, to take out my anger, even if just for a bit.

"YOU TOOK EGGS FROM THEIR FAMILIES, YOU SON OF A BITCH! THERE CAN _BE_ NO **MERCY**!"

I make certain that Hemlock will never separate an egg from its family again. I thought I'd wiped out Digi-egg trafficking in this area, but apparently not. Damn, I lost my temper, now I can't interrogate him about the rest of his organization.

In other news today, it's raining wood chips.

_**(Ophanimon POV)**_

…. Okay, I can believe that. Whenever Magnamon's under stress, he _does_ usually take it out on the environment. And he never really tells anybody about his family, so it's very possible he had an uncle Ralphmon and never mentioned it. An odd name to be sure, but I've heard stranger ones out there. "I see. Someone tell me when he comes back so I can give him my condolences."

* * *

_**(Magnamon POV)**_

After a few hours of ransacking seedy bars and threatening to break digits, I found the headquarters of the egg-trafficking ring. Whoever the new crime boss is around here, he's got some hefty brass ones to resume egg trafficking in _my_ jurisdiction.

Breaking down the factory door, my rage is palpable, and the legion of corrupt Rookies and low-level Champions before me tremble in fear.

I do not consider myself, by nature, to be overly violent.

However, I am not particularly forgiving, either. And once someone crosses a certain line – a… moral event horizon, if you will – _that_ is when I throw off the nice gloves.

_That_ is when I go berserk and crush the enemy no matter what.

And that is very nearly _now_.

Barely containing my anger enough to speak coherently, I state my intent rather clearly, I think.

"Where. Is. Your. _BOSS_?"

Everyone immediately points to the back of the building, where I recognize one of my most cunning enemies.

Lucemon Chaos Mode.

"Greetings, Magnamon. Judging from the look on your ignorant face, you're about to ask how I still live. While you and Susanoomon were, indeed, able to defeat me, I merely fell into a coma. You really should have insisted on finding my body and crushing it. Failing to do so was quite unlike you. But a plan has been set in motion, O Radiant One. And soon, VENGEANCE _will_ be **OURS!**"

Growling, I observe that his lackeys have taken this chance to run the hell away.

Sliding into my combat stance, I say, "You said 'ours', Lucemon. So tell me, pretty boy, who's working with you?"

Grinning madly, the schizophrenic quasideity begins laughing as he replies, "It doesn't matter in the slightest _who_ my compatriots are. Your Kingdom will _fall_, and the **DARK** _**WILL **__**RISE!"**_

Lucemon then rushes at me, casting shadows along the ground to trap me, while at the same time forming blades of light in the air to draw my focus.

Leaping into the air to avoid the shadows, I deflect a light-dagger near my face by turning my helmet to the left, while blocking Lucemon's crazed punch with my shin.

While in mid-air, I bring my fist down on his head, only for him to catch it with his free hand.

Using that as a fulcrum, I twist over him, trying to break his arm, but he spins on his heel and, using my own inertia to increase his power, throws me against the far wall.

Shaking the cobwebs out of my brain, I look up to see a storm of blades coming at me.

As much as I hate this bastard, I have to admit to myself that he _does_ have a sense of style.

I know that I can't evade the wall of weapons in my path, so instead I unleash an energy blast of my own to force open a hole that I can slip through.

As I step on the ground having got out of that jam, Lucemon laughs like the madman he is, before he creates a floating minefield out of dark energy… and I'm in the middle of it, and I have just enough time to register this fact before every little shadow-bomb detonates with enough force to flatten a small building.

_Damnit_. This is why I _hate_ fighting him by myself. The bastard strings along traps within traps within traps within traps, and you get so focused on avoiding his damn traps that you forget he's still tough enough that despite only being an Ultimate, he can go head-to-head with Mega-level Digimon and still come out on top _without_ them.

As the adrenaline pumps through my veins in earnest, my vision is enveloped in a dark haze. For a moment, the world vanishes. There is no Queen, no King, no egg-traffickers, nothing at all but myself and my enemy.

And despite the relief it would bring me, I crush that feeling immediately. I don't have time for this.

I need answers, but more importantly, I need to stop this son of a bitch right here and now.

As I call upon my inner reserves with the intent of invulnerability, I realize that for whatever reason, I can't.

The vast well of power within me has vanished.

Lucemon detects my confusion, because straightens up a bit and chuckles before saying, "I bet that right now, you're thinking something along the lines of, 'why isn't my armor all shiny yet', right? Well, that's because while I was monologuing earlier, when you entered my factory, you didn't realize that the entire room was actually a massive GAS CHAMBER! Containing the X-VIRUS! And throughout our little brawl, it's been sapping your strength! Of course, my compatriots and I created a vaccine, so that my workers and I can't be harmed by the virus, but you don't _have_ that advantage, do you? What will you do _now_, O Radiant One? You cannot go home, else you risk infecting your fellow Knights… and you cannot use it against my fellow Kaizers, as we have all been immunized against it! You will die, ALONE! I normally would finish you off now, and this little game _has_ been rather amusing, but I _do_ have other obligations I must attend to."

Damnit! It's not enough that he's egg-trafficking for whatever reason, but now his organization is involved with _viral_ weaponry?

And this X-Virus they created… damnit, it's evidently got kind of cascade program in its code, because the drain on my power escalates with each passing second!

Shit… This can't be how I die! Not alone in this damn forest! Gah… I'm losing my grip on consciousness…

With the last of my will, I roar, "LUCEMON! I WILL HUNT YOU AND YOUR KAIZERS DOWN, AND I WILL **FUCKING** KILL _EVERY LAST ONE OF YOU_!"

Just before I pass out, I can hear the bastard mutter something to me, probably an insult of some kind, and then footsteps coming closer.

Just you wait, until I wake up, damnit. I'll save the damn Kingdom and I'll tear you apart.

Just… you… wait.…

* * *

**So then, our hero has been infected with a lethal virus that saps his power, and is at the mercy of one of his deadliest enemies? Can he somehow find a cure? What kind of deus ex machina will I use to keep him alive until then? Find out on the next chapter of Digimon: "Radiant Sacrifice"!**

**(1): Basically, their version of King Arthur's Round Table.**


	4. Disruption

Radiant Sacrifice

Disruption

**Dedicated to Lord Pata, who… strongly convinced me into writing some Patamon/Gatomon and T.K./Kari fics for him. Which is a bit odd, given that although that was the original _reason_ for starting up this story in the first place, I've done practically zero Seraphimon/Ophanimon shipping. *facepalm***

**If there are any questions, feel free to ask me in a review, and I'll do what I can to clarify, either in a reply or in a subsequent chapter. Today, we get a glimpse into the twisted mind of Beelzemon. As for that cliffhanger with Magnamon from the last chapter? Just to let you know, he's okay. He's in a coma right now, but he's not technically in danger of getting killed right now. I simply felt like giving our resident asshole a day in the limelight instead of tying up that plot thread at the moment, we'll continue on that later.**

* * *

_**(Beelzemon POV)**_

Ah. There are few things, in the Digital World, that are quite as spiritually fulfilling as talking one of your comrades into a coma so he'll start wangsting and run the hell away before then spouting bullshit to the rest of your comrades so he can play hooky and not get punished for it.

Of course, the feel of the wind in your hair as you ride through town at ten times the (_unofficial_, damnit!) speed limit, a cheap date with her arms around your waist, her nice… erm, _gifts_ pressed up against your back, a blood alcohol level of 9.3, and supremely not giving a shit about life in general… that's pretty high up there too.

What? I may be a Knight now, but I'm still an all-around asshole. Except for Gallantmon, VictoryGreymon, and Their Highnesses. VictoryGreymon is like what I would've been if I gave a Chumon's ass about doing the right thing for the right reasons. Basically myself but without the general bastardry and more naïvete. And Gallantmon, well, he's my pal. I'm still usually a jerk to him, but I do nice things sometimes.

Usually on Christmas and his birthday. The other 363.25 days of the year, I'm back to being a dick. Kinda sucks for him, since those two dates are only a week apart….

Oh, and as for The Royals? Why am I nice to them? Because they're genuinely nice to _me_. … Not a lot of Digimon were ever very nice to me. Which probably helps explain why I'm such a colossal jerkass.

Now then, why did I traumatize poor old Mags the other night? A number of reasons, really. For one thing, I was bored and it was fun. Yes, as a matter of fact, I _do_ enjoy making/watching other people suffer. Being a former Demon Lord, this should not surprise anyone.

And yes, I _do_ always monologue to myself as if I were speaking to entities who are not present.

Of couse, amusement by itself is just an excuse for tearing apart a fellow Knight's spirit. I think it's a _good_ excuse mind you, but I did have another reason.

One of the services I render to my comrades, free of charge (naturally), is that whenever I come across one of them doing something either incredibly stupid or about to cross a line that they _really_ don't want to, I call them out on it.

Now then, nonexistent people I'm monologuing to, you're probably going to ask why I'm sided with the Royal Knights if I'm still such an utter bastard. Well, it turns out that, strangely, I _do_ have something resembling a standard. Yes, that surprises even me. Anyhow, someone I used to work for… the Overlord of us Demon Lords, if you're interested… decided that, when I lost to Gallantmon one day and by the _narrowest_ of margins, I had… what was the phrase he used again? Oh, yes, now I remember. **'Outlived my usefulness.'**

And so since he no longer saw a use for me, he planned to delete me and then assimilate my data. Were it any of the other Lords, I'm pretty sure I could've re-written their code from the inside out and make it backfire on the smug bastard, but not him. In this Digital World of ours, asskicking and authority go hand-in-hand. _He_ was our boss for a _reason_. That reason being that the other six of us could take him on all at once and we'd _still_ get our asses kicked.

That mon… the embodiment of Wrath…

He went and crossed a line that can't ever be un-crossed. Well, I suppose he'd crossed dozens, maybe even hundreds of such lines, but he hadn't done anything to piss _me_ off badly enough before hand. Thing is, I still would've left if it had been one of the other Lords getting killed.

A master who would destroy and consume his own soldiers… to hell with that. Of course, I could've just struck out on my own after that, but there are a couple of reasons why I joined the Knights.

One, the Demon Lords would've kept hunting me for as long as I was alone, and I never would've been able to beat 'em all by myself. Affiliation with the Royal Knights gives me a degree of protection.

Two, just days after nearly killing me, Gallantmon then shows up and for whatever reason, pulls my sorry ass out of the fire and back into the frying pan. 'Course, he went and pulled it off the stove and left it to cool in the sink afterwards… Anyway, I owe him my goddamn life. That wouldn't be enough normally for me to join his organization, but he insisted that that be how I repay my debt. "For the crime of sowing misery and terror amongst innocent Digimon across the world, you shall repent by serving as their protector!"

No, seriously, that's what he said. And as much of a jerk as I am, I don't like owing people.

So I told him I'd give it a shot if his boss would have me. Not Alphamon, _his_ boss. The 'Big Good' of the Celestial Kingdom.

Seraphimon. The Angel of Hope.

The White King.

Remember when I said that my old boss was, well, boss for a _reason_, that reason being that he was the biggest and the baddest of all us 'evil' badasses?

Seraphimon is the same way, except for the 'good guys' instead.

He's one of the most powerful Digimon I've ever met.

And after hearing my story and with only the word of a _Virus_ Digimon backing me up, he let me join the Knights, so that makes him one of – if not _the_ – nicest Digimon I've ever met as well.

And to be frank, I find that completely and utterly _terrifying_. Let me put it in perspective for you. For the past… really, _really_ long time, I was a mortal enemy of everything _moral_ that he stood for. And at long last, he had me at his complete and total mercy… and not only did he choose to let me live, but he lets me _live_ in his freaking CASTLE, signs me up for his exclusive club of mons that every Rookie in the Kingdom looks up to, and says 'Hello there' everytime I pass him by in the hallway. It's not threatening, he's being _genuinely_ friendly. Bear in mind that he just let an _enemy_ Mega-level Digimon – and not just any Mega, but a frakking DEMON LORD – take up permanent residence in his _stronghold_ and gave me free access to top-secret info about what his people are up to and the idea that I might betray him is of absolutely no concern to him AT ALL.

This means that either he is incredibly stupid, or he is just so far above me in terms of power that anything I might try to do against him is literally _meaningless_.

Well, he's obviously not stupid. And I don't know what the limits to his power are simply because I am too fucking **terrified** of even _asking_ ANYONE what they might be. He's the friendliest guy I've ever met, and because he's a King, that alone makes him so damn scary that I don't have the spine to say no on the occasion he offers me, because should I refuse his hospitality, _I have no idea what he'll do if I accidentally offend him_. I actually had dreams about what might happen in that instance, once. I spent the next three weeks in therapy.

And his wife is scary too, but for a whole different reason. That being that she's, well, a proper Lady. I know it's obvious, but other than bowing to the Overlord, we were always very informal about politics and rank and being polite and stuff. The only women I was ever around were, erm… what's the politically correct term they have me use for legal professionals? Courtesans? Well, they were courtesans and escorts. Really, really cheap ones. And then there was the cheapest of them all, the only Demon Lady, the embodiment of Lust.

I heard that she used to be a noble of some sort, but decided for some reason to embrace the Dark Side. She wasn't the biggest up top, but damn, those _legs_…

Aaaaaand I'm easily distracted by the sexy. But back to the original point. There was one time that the Knights and the White Royals were having a private dinner and, since I was by that time Knighted, I got a seat. I spent the entire time either staring at my plate or, when Ophanimon spoke to me (and she's just as friendly as her husband, which by itself was raising alarms in my mind), directly at her face.

She started up a conversation, and I kept my gaze there like my head was in a vicegrip until she said, "Is there something on my face, Sir Beelzemon? You seem to be staring quite intently at it."

And in all honesty (again, I was too scared to not be honest) I replied, "No, milady. With all due respect, you have my attention and I'm just that _terrified_ of looking anywhere else."

As I expected, there was complete and utter silence for ten seconds. Then everyone spent the rest of the night laughing at me. For the first time in my life, I was embarassed. I ran away to my room and locked the frakking door because again, let me drill this into your mind once more, I was surrounded by Digimon at my power level or stronger, I had said something that could almost reasonably be construed as a pass at their Queen, and they were _amused_ with me.

I wanted everyone to be more of a jerk so I'd feel more comfortable. So I wouldn't feel so… powerless.

I still don't know if all that crap about love and friendship making you stronger is all that accurate, but I gotta tell ya, when Digimon who are _stronger_ than you are actively and genuinely being _friendly_ with you, it is the most terrifying thing in the entire fucking Digital World.

…

Actually, I think that might be exactly it. When a few of them – Gallantmon in particular – starts being friendly to you, it's so unnerving that your ability to fight back is compromised.

Anyway, after that fiasco, things got better and worse at the same time. As the other Knights and I got to know each other better, I gradually felt comfortable enough to start loosening up and being a jerk again.

It really, really helps that some of the Knights really aren't all that different from some of the other Demon Lords. VictoryGreymon is hot-headed and blunt, even if it means being rude. Gallantmon, well… I know him from way back in the day. We've always been alternating between best buds and mortal enemies.

Anyhow, WarGreymon is kinda gruff, and a paragon of manliness. He does it without even trying. The fact that it took three months for him to start trusting me also helped put him in my good books.

Anyway, paradoxically, perhaps, Magnamon and Alphamon were the two who helped me the most with settling in. After all, Magnamon can just barely keep his love for Lady Ophanimon in check, his envy of the White King is just three steps from driving him insane, and not only is he on the verge of being a berserker, but he even fights dirty. Our first training battle, he threw sand in my eyes, punched me in the Adam's Apple, kneed me in the stomach, and blasted me in the nads. Hurt like a bitch, but I still felt more at home.

Now then, why would Alphamon, the leader of the Royal Knights, and ideally having the Shiniest of their Shining Armors, help me feel more comfortable? Surely he's a big ol' can of incorruptibly pure pureness, right?

WRONG! I've gone on missions with him, and the dude's done some really fucked up stuff in the name of preserving a lawful peace. The reason I feel most at home with him is because he's simply not as morally good as the other Knights are. Oh, he's definitely the most _lawful_ of them, but on a scale of good versus evil… no matter how hard he tries to be good, he still ends up being neutral at best.

Anyway, as I started behaving more normally and being an all-around jerkass again, it got to the point where, while everyone's going to put up with me as long as I don't betray them, but nobody (except Gallantmon) really trusts me in the day-to-day anymore. Which is within my comfort zone.

The White Queen's been rather frosty with me as well. Still polite, but more distant, less approachable. Less friendly. Which again, is within my comfort zone.

But not Seraphimon. He's still just as amiable as ever, and now it's only _almost_ as terrifying as it used to be. Like when you have a gun in your face, it becomes slightly less unnerving after the first half an hour.

Wait.

What?

Is that a rumble off in the distance? The rumble of something going 'kablam'? Possibly a big 'kablam'?

Doth mine ears deceive me? No, of course not, they know better.

And now the kablam is being followed up with by a roar.

Wait a second.

I _know_ that roar. I know it quite well.

Oh _fuck_.

Slamming the brakes on my bike, we come to a screeching halt and I shout, "Alright dame, this is yer stop! Sorry, but I got a frakking job to do!"

Dutifully hopping off, she says, "That's fair enough, tough guy. I know we were interrupted before you got what you paid for, so come find me when you're done and we can, you know, continue where we left off. Or something. Least I can do for the Knight of Darkness."

And then she sends a faint smile my way. She's weaker than I am, so it's not as unnerving as when someone like the White King does it, and for a different reason.

I've also noticed that over the past few years or so, she's steadily been giving me discounts. I think she might actually _like_ me. Which would be nice, but also an indication that she's not entirely stable in the head.

Turning away from her, I say, "I don't want any favors from you."

She replies, "I know. That's why… it's a gift. You're not supposed to pay me back for it, silly."

Damnit, now she's got me distracted and interested. And curious. Mostly curious, which is the reason why I'm distracted. "Why the hell would you give me a gift?"

Chuckling, she says, "Because I love you, ya big dork. Now quit yapping and go save the day already."

…

She did not just fucking say that.

She didn't.

There's no way she could've.

There's no way anyone ever could.

Fuck, I'm getting distracted again. Damnit woman, stop messing with me! I don't need this bullshit right before the worst battle I've had since joining the Knights!

I can't trust myself to respond. Not after a fucking curveball like that.

I turn towards the source of the rumble and crank my bike's acceleration to the max, and I'm out of here like a bat out of fucking hell.

WHY? EVERY SINGLE TIME THINGS START TO GET NORMAL! SOMEONE THROWS ME FOR A FUCKING LOOP!

I don't want anyone's kindness. I don't want their friendship. I don't want their love.

ENIAC, I'm so fucking _emo_.

No time. MOVE MOVE MOVE MOVE MOVE!

That roar. That maddening, familiar, mindless, _furious_ roar.

One of my former comrades.

One that I was never strong enough to beat.

And as I come upon the scene, my black heart sinks.

Oh hell no, it really _is_ him.

Belphemon. In his god-modded Rage Mode.

… I am _so_ fucked.

My first instinct is to run the hell away. I'm no coward, but I'm not suicidal either.

Shit, he's seen me.

Damnit, what are my options? Die, get killed, or fight and survive with a body as broken as Alphamon's afterward, if I'm _lucky_.

...

As I hop off my bike and draw my guns, I wince.

Much as I really, _really_ hate it, I have a goddamn duty. It's my stupid fucking JOB to stop this freak.

"**BEELZEMON! TRAITOR!"**

Aw, _hell_.

I forgot just how freaking _fast_ this punk is.

I blinked, and he's right in my face, with his humoungous hand threatening to crush me.

Seriously, his grip goes from my neck to my knees!

Practically immobilized, I consider my options. I can move my lower legs and my face. The 'webbing' of his hand between thumb and index finger is easily within range of my head.

I bite down on his hand.

_Hard_.

**"GRAAAAAAH!"**

He instinctively flings me away with all his strength, which sends me crashing against my wall.

_Crack_.

Aw _hell_, now I can't use my left arm.

Good thing I'm right-handed anyway.

Somehow, I manage to get to my feet, shake the blur out of my eyes, and oh shit he's already coming at me again.

I manage to jump the hell out of the way this time, summoning a shotgun into my hand. Just as the damn bastard rams himself into the wall, I put the muzzle against the back of his neck, at the base of his skull – a spot I seem to remember as being one of his few weak points.

"POINT BLANK, SHITHEAD!"

And then I pull the trigger as fast as I can, again and again and again until I run out of ammo.

And then I wait, hoping against hope that I got lucky and that somehow killed him.

As he suddenly grabs me with his hulking arm and piledrives me into the dirt, I have about a tenth of a second to reflect on what an idiot I am.

Shit, I think I have a concussion now. Aw hell, he's looming over me, about to pound me into oblivion….

Wait a sec. He's really freaking huge compared to me. I mean, his eyes are the size of my freakin' head. And he's… holy shit, he's actually _not holding me down_.

Tch. Dumbass.

**"RAAAAAAAAAUGH!"**

Quit screaming, douchebag. _You_ didn't restrain me properly, so it's _your_ fault I had a chance to kick your eyes out.

And despite my broken left arm, numerous fractured ribs, and other assorted injuries, I now smirk. Stupid bastard always did rely far too much on his sight, enough that we couldn't ever use him except in the middle of the day.

"You beat me the hell up, you ruined my previously good day, and then you had the balls to underestimate me. You should've known better than that, Belphemon. Now I'm gonna _kill you_."

_I love you, ya big dork_.

DAMNIT, why _**NOW**_? WHY? GET THE FUCK OUT OF MY HEAD, YOU BITCH!

_So tell me, Beelzemon, how has your day been?_

Stop it…. Stop it... ALL OF YOU, STOP _MOCKING ME!_

I'm so pissed off, I fucking _scream_ like I'm gonna explode and I take all that anger and turn it into power.

My crimson eyes turn green, and wings tear out through my jacket.

**BLAST MODE.**

My right hand turns into a Big Freakin' Gun, and I take aim at Belphemon and as I take flight, I pull the trigger and _snarl_.

"Take this, son of a bitch. **DEATH SLINGER!"**

And then I blast him with it again and again and again until I'm positive there's no freakin' way he could possibly be anything more than a pile of digital ash.

"**DEATH SLINGER! DEATH SLINGER! DEATH SLINGER! DEATH SLINGER! DEATH SLINGER! DEATH SLINGER! DEATH SLINGER! DEATH SLINGER!"**

The dust finally settles, and there's just a big crater. Oh fuck, he probably got out of the wa- never mind, I can see the bottom half of his head now, it got blown off to the side.

Exhausted, I fall to the damn ground, limp my way over there, and I stomp that goddamn piece of that goddamn head into oblivion. Okay then, he's as dead as dead can get, dumbass voices in my head no longer pissing me off, I'm still alive, somehow… nobody's around….

And now I flop down on my ass in an undignified heap, my body now totally unresponsive.

… Wait a second, why can I still hear the thud-thud of pounding feet and the _clink_ of rattling armor?

Aw _hell_, don't tell me he had freakin' _backup_ and I didn't notice…

I manage to crane my neck towards the source of the noise, and were I not flat on my back and completely out of power, my jaw would've dropped.

Standing before my eyes, sunlight glistening off of the shiny gold, is freaking _Alphamon_, between me and town.

The mon casts his sweeping gaze over the battlefield for a few moments, observing the destroyed area. Then he turns to me, and I can see that he's completely recovered from his injuries now.

"So, Beelzemon… I must confess that you've surprised me."

Forcing myself to speak, I retort, "What, you expected me to run away like a damn coward?"

Bowing his head a bit, he says, "I will admit that I had indeed expected you to flee, Demon Lord. I did not at all expect you to put the safety of those weaker before your own. I was surprised to see you send the wench to safety and intercept Belphemon of your own accord, even moreso to watch you continue fighting against a former comrade with your entire being. You were willing to sacrifice yourself to annihilate the enemy and protect the innocent – even if your motive were simply petty vengeance, the result would have been the same. I did not think you were capable of such selflessness, intentional or not."

Holy hell, when did he get so long-winded? I don't dare interrupt, though, since I can tell he's not done speaking yet.

"I don't believe I ever said this, even though our comrades already have at one point or another, and I understand now that it's all long overdue."

Suddenly, Alphamon picks me up and slings me across his shoulder, before turning back towards HQ, and says twelve little words I wouldn't ever ever EVER have expected to hear from him in particular.

"Welcome to the Royal Knights. I'm glad to have you with us."

Tch. Damnit man, now even _you_ have to throw me a fucking curveball?

I just sigh inside my head, I'm too tired to be pissed off.

Suddenly, it occurs to me that maybe we're both just fucked-up in the head and trying to deal with the world and our own neuroses as best we can.

Though I make sure he can't see it, I grin a bit and say, "Tch, tardy bastard."

Maybe I'll be just a little bit less of a jerk to everyone from now on.

But only if they give me presents – a _card_, at the _very_ least – while I'm in convalescence.

* * *

**So tell me what you thought! Also, can anyone catch the rather blatant shout-out to a very awesome mecha anime that I left in here? Also, I freaking PROMISE I'll try to do something with the White King and Queen next time, 'kay?**


End file.
